Grandma's Holiday Got Off To Rough Start

YORK — Belva Johnston, 93, was hit in the parking lot of a Williamsburg shopping center just before Christmas.

Many people are familiar with the holiday song "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer."

Belva Johnston's family sings a different tune: "Grandma Got Run Over By A Cadillac DeVille."

Johnston's granddaughter, Michelle Garcia, laughs at the comparison -- but not at the story behind it. Johnston, 93, is recovering at home from serious injuries to both legs after being hit in the parking lot of a Williamsburg shopping center five days before Christmas.

The accident happened just one day before she planned to visit another granddaughter in Georgia for the holidays.

"Tuesday I had my suitcase packed," Johnston said. "Wednesday I'm in the hospital."

Garcia, who affectionately calls Johnston a "vitamin-popping fool," said that her good health before the accident is why she's still alive. Before being hit, Johnston went out six days a week to do field service as a Jehovah's Witness, distributing religious magazines to people and businesses, Garcia said.

Johnston had just dropped off a stack of the magazines at the Soaps- N-Suds laundry on Monticello Avenue Dec. 20 when she was hit. Johnston said she was walking around the rear of a woman's car to give her a magazine when the woman started the car and backed up, knocking her over.

The driver did not know Johnston was behind her and was not charged by Williamsburg Police.

"I was following her around," she said. "She got in the car before I could get there. She was just in a big hurry to get out of there."

Johnston said she was disoriented, but didn't feel much pain.

"There were so many men picking me up and putting me together," she said.

Paramedics airlifted Johnston to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where she stayed for more than two weeks while doctors put a metal rod in her broken right upper leg and mulled options for her badly skinned left leg.

At first, doctors told her they would do a skin graft on the leg, but her skin was too thin. They considered amputating, but instead decided to give the leg a chance to heal.

Because of the confusion, Johnston's family only had about a day's notice that she would be discharged from the hospital. Garcia said the family spent a hectic day clearing out a room to accommodate a hospital bed, and were outside until about 2 a.m. building a wheelchair ramp onto the house. "We probably kept the neighbors up," she said.

Now, back at her York County home, the bandages on Johnston's left leg must be changed twice a day. She also undergoes physical therapy three times a week, and takes whirlpool therapy at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital once a week.

"It'll be a long road for her, but I have no doubt that she'll conquer this," said Sarah Darling, Johnston's physical therapist.

Johnston can't put any pressure on her broken right leg for three months, and must wait between three and six months before doctors will attempt skin grafts on her left leg. In the meantime, if the left leg gets infected, she could lose it.

For now, Johnston is just happy to be back at home with her granddaughter and anxious to get back to her routine as soon as possible. "I'm not a sick person -- I've never been to doctors," Johnston said. "Being in the hospital was outrageous for me." *